Behind Blind Eyes
by Sable19
Summary: AU Kagome/Sesshomaru pairing. Kagome places a winning bid in a silent auction. Just what has she bought? A date with the tall, handsome and totally blind Sesshomaru. Although he doesn't trust women, he sees something special in her. On hold. Read profile.
1. A Close Group of Friends

(Okay, here you go. The first chapter, for your enjoyment. This is a great idea that I had, but since I want it to be really long, it's still a work in progress. I cannot make a promise that I will finish it quickly or even at all, but with the support of my friends, I hope it'll come out great. Some of the characters might seem a bit different then they are in the anime/manga, but it's an AU for a reason. XD)

Higurashi Kagome tapped her fingers on her desk. She was bored. Her dark eyes traveled to the clock that was on the wall to her right. The bell would ring any second, and she would be released from this hellhole. She picked up her pen and doodled in the notebook that was open in front of her. She still didn't know why she had bothered to show up today. She already knew everything the teacher was talking about, and she didn't need to sit here and listen to it over again. She ran her hand through her long raven hair.

The bell rang, and the teacher wished everyone a good day before leaving the class. Kagome stretched in her seat, anxious to get up and leave. School was so boring to her. She wasn't stupid or anything; quite the contrary. Kagome was a very smart person. She just didn't have a lot of motivation. She was a complicated person; she liked being alone just as much as she liked hanging out with her friends. She was loud and outspoken, which both attracted and repelled people.

"Ah ha, you're awake Kagome. I was sure you would be snoozing it up in here."

Kagome looked up at her friend Sango, who grinned at her. Her light brown eyes expressed mischief, which was nothing unusual; Sango was a very special sort of person. She was popular because she was pretty and she had a good heart, but she preferred to spend time with a select few people. Kagome felt special knowing she was one of them. Man people in the school thought that the two girls were sisters. They both had brown eyes and long black hair, they were about the same height, and they were inseparable.

"Hai, sure am. But I was so bored I was thinking of getting in a quick nap. What are you up to today? Got work tonight?" Kagome asked as she packed up her books into her bag.

"Nope, got a date with Miroku. Hopefully he'll be able to behave himself so we don't get kicked out of another restaurant," Sango sighed and rolled her eyes, causing Kagome to giggle. Her friend had been dating the tall and handsome Miroku for almost a year now, and they were the envy of the school. While Miroku wasn't a jock or very popular, he was a silent man with a strong heart. He stood up for people who were picked on without telling the teachers about misdeeds he witnessed, and other students regularly went to him for help with problems that they couldn't solve on their own. Miroku was a very trustworthy person who never showed dislike to anyone. You couldn't find another couple in the school who were as in love as they were.

"I hope so. You guys are running out of places to go. You can't go to the drive in, the cinema, and four restaurants. Pretty soon the two of you will need to go to Tokyo just for a night out on the town."

Both girls laughed as they left the classroom. They walked down the hallway, chatting about nothing special and waving at people they knew. Both of them were friendly with everyone, but they preferred to spend time with each other to hanging out with large groups of people. The weekends were reserved for shopping trips, dinners, and the occasional sleepover. Being sophomores in high school, they spent a lot of time studying and quizzing each other over pizza and ice cream.

They reached their lockers. Kagome opened hers and simply threw her backpack inside. She didn't have any homework to do, since the school festival was coming up and she had volunteered to help Sango with decorations. Besides, she rarely did her homework. It was boring and repetitive, and she did so well on her tests that the teachers would only reprimand her occasionally.

"Yo, Kagome!"

Kagome grinned as she turned around, knowing who was calling her. Sure enough, walking down the hall toward her was her close friend Inuyasha. He smirked at her, which wasn't surprising; he preferred to smirk than smile. His golden eyes sparkled happily as he watched her. It was a well known fact that Inuyasha had crushed on Kagome when they first met, and though he had a girlfriend, he loved to tease her. She, in turn, loved to make him angry and watch him try to hold his temper. They had been friends for a few years, since she started high school, and they were pretty comfortable together.

"Must you call out my name like that?" she said as he waved at Sango.

Inuyasha ran his hand through his long silver hair before throwing an arm over her shoulders. "I could always yell out your name differently," he said in a low voice, wiggling his eyebrows at her. She laughed and poked him in the side.

"What are you up to tonight Inuyasha? I want something to do. I don't want to go home, but I hate going to the mall by myself. The two love birds have a date tonight, so that leaves me and you."

Inuyasha shrugged. "I got nothing planned," he said simply. "Want to come over to my house? Me and Kikyo are going to finish typing out all the flyers for the festival tonight so we can put them up tomorrow."

Kagome opened her mouth, but before she could say anything she heard Sango shriek loudly behind her. She cringed and smiled, knowing what was coming next. She didn't have to wait long.

SMACK!

Kagome and Inuyasha laughed as they watched a very angry Sango rub her hand. Standing in front of her, holding his face, was a tall boy with bright blue eyes. His face was showing pain, but Kagome knew he was faking it; sure enough, a moment later, he smiled. He removed his hand, revealing a red palm print mark on his cheek. Kagome simply shook her head and wondered why the tall teen continued to grope his girlfriend in public.

"You'll never learn, Miroku," Inuyasha said, punching his friend playfully in the shoulder. "You gotta do it, then back away out of their reach."

"Oh like you have room to talk!" Kagome said, laughing. Sango merely shot them both a dirty look.

"What? It's true!" Inuyasha tried to look innocent, but no one was fooled.

"Oh please! When was the last time you groped a girl?"

Inuyasha didn't answer, which caused them all to laugh. They were a very close group of people; they had known each other for a long time. They had been through it all together. Kagome knew all about Sango and Miroku, of course. Sango had grown up with her father and little brother, and they ran an apartment complex. Miroku's parents had died when he was young, and he was raised by his father's closest friend. Although Kagome was glad to know about their pasts, she knew that it hurt them that she never really wanted to talk about her own.

And Inuyasha kept a lid on his as well. He had told them some basic information, of course. Like how he had been raised by his mother with no help from his father, who wasn't really ever around anymore. He had an affinity for fighting with people, but would tell no one why. His temper was short and he could be cocky and egotistical, but Kagome had seen past it to his good heart. She had befriended him almost immediately, which was a new thing to him; most of his life he hadn't had any close friends. Inuyasha took it upon himself to make sure that she was happy all the time. He was the first person she went to if she had a problem, and he always listened to her and gave her his undivided attention. Even when he had met and started dating Kikyo he hadn't drifted away from her. This caused a bit of jealousy on Kikyo's part, but Kagome just dealt with it.

Kagome and Inuyasha waved to their friends before heading outside. Both lived just a bit down the road from the school, and they would often walk home together.

"Oi, Kagome, did you hear about the festival?" Inuyasha suddenly asked. Kagome shook her head. "Well apparently the school board just decided that we are going to have a joint festival with that blind high school next to us."

"No way!" Kagome said. She knew about the school, as did everyone, but she'd never seen it. All of the student that went there were either blind or going blind. She sometimes felt a pang of pity in her heart when she thought about them. She couldn't imagine going through life not being able to see.

"Yea. All the booths and stuff will still be at our school, but the stage and a few other big things will happen over there, including that date auction thing. The students from there will come over and help us with our booths, so we can do more things, and some of our classmates will go over there to help them prepare the stage. When the sun sets we're closing down the booth and heading over there to do the auctions."

Kagome nodded thoughtfully. She knew that there were a lot of items that were being auctioned off and sold, and some that were prizes for different contests, but the big attraction this year was something called a date auction. It was a silent auction, meaning that those who want to participate write their names down on a piece of paper along with their bid, and when the time was up, the winner was announced. There were two different date auctions; one guy and one girl. The people who won would get one date with a person of the opposite sex that was chosen beforehand. The date would include dinner and another activity of their choice, like a movie or something.

Kagome fully intended to take a stab at the date auction, even though she had no idea who the person was she was bidding for. It stood to reason now that since the high schools were working together, there was a chance that the guy could be one of the blind students. It didn't worry her at all; in fact, it kind of excited her. She knew that meeting someone who went through life without their site would be a new experience that she would enjoy. She hoped she would win, and that it wouldn't be too expensive.

Pretty soon they were at Inuyasha's place. It was a large two bedroom house. It was painted white, and the door and shutters were blue. It was like a second home to Kagome; she had started coming here a few times a week when she had first met her silver haired friend. Inuyasha's mother had taken a liking to her immediately, and she had returned the feeling whole heartedly. Inuyasha unlocked the door and they entered the house.

"Mom! I'm home!" Inuyasha called as they walked into the large living room. He flung his bag on the tan couch. "Mom? Where are you?"

"I'm in here dear," came a sweet voice from the kitchen. The teens walked into the bright and airy room. Kagome smiled as she spied her friend's mother; Izayoi was a very beautiful woman whose heart was as large as the sky. She had long black hair that was usually left loose down her back. Her eyes were dark brown, almost black, and were always filled with serenity. Kagome looked up to her as a mother figure and hoped that one day, she could be like this peaceful loving woman.

"How was school?" Izayoi asked, smiling at them. She showed no surprise in seeing Kagome.

"It was fine," Inuyasha said, giving his mom a small hug. "Whatcha making?"

"Cookies," she answered, holding one out to him. He took it and munched on it. "Would you like one Kagome?"

Kagome shook her head. "No thanks. I'm still full from lunch."

Izayoi smiled. "Will you be staying for dinner?"

"Sure, if you don't mind."

"Have I ever?"

Kagome laughed.

"Did you make enough for all of us? Remember, Kikyo is coming over tonight too. We have to do stuff for school."

"No problem dear. I have enough. When is she coming over?"

"After archery practice," Inuyasha answered, stealing another cookie. "In about an hour or so. We're gonna head up to my room and get started on festival stuff. If you need me yell at me." They left the kitchen and walked up the stairs to Inuyasha's room. It was a good sized room with a large bed, a desk with a computer on it, and a dresser. The walls were bare, but then again, Inuyasha was never one to have interests in sports or television. He never really told Kagome what he did with his spare time, and she never asked. It was a silent agreement between them. Inuyasha ushered her inside and shut the door.

"I'm going to start working on the flyers for the candy stand," he said, walking over to his computer desk and sitting down. He pushed the switch to turn on his computer. "What do you have left to do?"

"I'm got to plan out the decorations for all the classrooms on the second floor. I've gotten most of the basic ideas down, but I need to go into detail about what will be in each room and stuff. Sango has the decorations at her house, so I'm left with putting them wherever they need to go. I'll work on that while you're doing those flyers. You got a notebook that I can use?"

Inuyasha opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a notebook. He threw it to Kagome before turning back to his computer and logging in. Kagome set the notebook down on the bed before walking over to the desk. She poked him on the head and grabbed a pencil before heading back to the bed. She sat down and scooted back until she was resting against the wall. She quickly became absorbed in her ideas, and a comfortable silence filled the room.

Time quickly passed, and they were both startled by the knock at the door. Inuyasha called out that the door was open, and in walked his girlfriend, Kikyo. Kagome smiled at her. A lot of people in school said that she and Kikyo were long lost twins, but she honestly couldn't see any similarities between them. While she knew her features had a childlike quality, Kikyo was more mature and reserved. They shared the same color hair and eyes, although Kikyo usually kept her hair up in a ponytail.

Kikyo nodded to Kagome before walking over to Inuyasha. She wrapped her arms around his neck and watching him for a few moments. "How far have you gotten love?" she asked in her quiet voice.

"Not very far. I'm afraid I just don't have the same flair for the graphics that you do. Here, take over. I'm going to go check on my mom and see when dinner will be ready," Inuyasha said, standing up. Kikyo sat down and Inuyasha left the room after giving her a quick kiss on her cheek. Kagome sighed internally; she sometimes felt lonely around her friends. Everyone seemed to be in happy relationships except for her. Shrugging, she turned back to her paper and quickly sketched out some more ideas.

"Oi! Dinner's ready, get down here!"

Both girls left the room and headed downstairs. They sat down at the large table and helped themselves to the large meal before them. Izayoi asked questions about the festival and told them about the festivals she went to when she was young. Laughter filled the room, and Kagome couldn't be in a better mood. She knew that going home was going to be a let down.

All too soon, it was time for her to leave. She thanked Izayoi for the wonderful meal, as she always did, then hugged Inuyasha and left. She walked down the darkened streets, her stomach full and her mind empty. She was feeling drowsy, as she always did after she ate a big meal, and she knew that she needed to climb into bed soon. She had to be up early in the morning to head over to the school. After all, the festival was the day after tomorrow, and there was still lots to do.

Kagome reached her house in minutes. It wasn't as grand or a big as Inuyasha's was, but she liked it. She had her own room and a lot of privacy. She took out her keys and unlocked the door. She walked in and shut the door behind her, remembering to lock the door behind her. She walked through the dark living room to the kitchen and grabbed a soda before heading upstairs. She was almost to her room when she heard a door down the hall open. She turned to see her mother peering down the hall at her.

"It's alright mom, it's just me. Sorry I came home so late. I was at Inuyasha's house working on stuff for school," Kagome called to her quietly.

"You hungry?"

"I ate at his house. Go on back to bed, and I'll see you tomorrow. I gotta get up early, so I'll probably be gone before you're up."

"Okay. Goodnight dear."

"Goodnight." Kagome waited until she heard the door shut before heading into her room. Unlike Inuyasha, she had decorated her room to match her one secret passion; feathers. Her bedspread was a light blue color with a feather print, and she had a matching pillowcase. Her lamp on her desk had a feather design on it as well. She had a few feather wind chimes hanging by her window, and they made soft noises as she closed the door behind her. She quickly changed into her pajamas, a red gown with, of course, feather patterns, and climbed into bed.

As she was settling down, the phone on her desk rang. Grumbling to herself, she stood up and grabbed it. She pushed the talk button and raised it to her ear. "Whoever you are, you better have a good reason for calling me this late."

"Kagome? It's me."

"Oh hey Inuyasha. What's up? I need to go to sleep. I do have to get up in the morning, unlike you, who gets to sleep in."

Inuyasha laughed. "Hey, not my fault that we're not needed until the afternoon."

"Yea yea yea. What do you want?" Kagome mumbled into the phone before yawning. She was glad she had her own phone; she didn't want to wake up her parents.

"You left the notebook over here with all your pictures and stuff."

"Well hell. I was having so much fun at dinner I forgot. Bring it with you tomorrow please?"

"Don't you need it in the morning?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome could hear him clicking away at the computer.

"No, I'll help Sango finish up the rooms on the first floor. If nothing else I'll start on the ones I have memorized. Unless you want me to come over at seven in the morning and get the notebook?"

"No!" Inuyasha almost yelled, and Kagome laughed.

"Okay then. Just don't forget it. I'm going to sleep, and you need to get to bed soon, even if you do get to sleep in. Don't push yourself; you don't need to get sick."

"Yes Mother," Inuyasha said sarcastically. Kagome promptly hung up on him. She set the phone on her nightstand, turned off her lamp, and fell asleep. Her dreams were uneventful, as they always were.

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!

Kagome cringed and snuggled down under her blankets. It was too early; there was no way it was morning already. But the constant beeping of the alarm clock eventually dragged her out of bed and she shut it off. She sat on her bed, her eyes half closed, as she struggled to wake up. Her bed taunted her, but she was always a very responsible person; if something had to be done, it would get done. She got up and proceeded to get ready to leave.

After a quick shower and slipping into her outfit for the day, a white t-shirt and blue jeans, she headed down the stairs and into the kitchen. She made herself an omelet with cheese and strips of bacon. As she was finishing up, she heard a noise and looked up to see her mother walking into the kitchen.

"You're up pretty early mom," she said, taking the omelet out of pan and putting it on a plate. "You want something to eat?"

"Oh sure honey," her mother said, trying to hide a yawn. Her eyelids were heavy and shielded her blue eyes form the light. Her short brown hair was messy, telling Kagome that she hadn't bothered to comb it before coming down. She smiled to herself and pulled more eggs out of the fridge. "You have a lot to do at the school today?"

Kagome turned at her mother's question. "Sure do. Sango and I are gonna be there pretty much all day, and then we're supposed to go out with Inuyasha and Miroku for dinner," she answered, shooing her mother's helping hands away and pointing to the table. Her mother promptly sat down. "Are you going to come to the festival tomorrow?"

"I wish I could, but I have to work. Your father should be there though. Are you still going to do that auction thing?"

Kagome put the now complete omelet on another plate and turned off the stove. "Sure I do," she answered, taking the pan to the sink. "Why not? It's pretty exciting knowing that I can go on a date with someone I've never met, and I'm helping the school too. Besides, it's not like I can get a date on my own." She shot her mother a smile as she picked up the two plates and joining her at the table.

"Oh please," the older lady said, rolling her eyes as she picked up her fork. "You know you're drop dead gorgeous and you could go out with anyone you wanted to. You just don't want to."

"That's because all the guys at my school are idiots and lechers. Look at Miroku!"

They laughed and ate together, talking about nothing in particular. Kagome's mom offered to do the dishes, so Kagome hugged her goodbye and left the house. She was supposed to meet Sango at the school, so she stepped on it. She was there in less than five minutes. The school looked deserted, and Kagome loved it. She disliked school with a passion because of her classes, but she loved the old building. She got a good vibe everytime she walked through the doors, and she felt comforted somehow.

She walked down the empty hallways, reading the banners and posters that covered the walls. Several were for the school teams, and the rest were about the festival. She listened to the silence, broken only by the sound of her steps on the floor. She headed to her locker and pulled out her notebook. Since she had to wait for Sango to show up before she could start working on the decorations, she decided to make a list of the materials she needed from the store. She knew that Sango would make Miroku go for them when he got to the school. She walked over to the stairs and sat down, and started to write.

Sango showed up about twenty minutes later, and they got started. The first floor was completely decorated within an hour, and they moved to the second floor. They worked quickly and efficiently, as they always did when they were together, and by the time Inuyasha and Miroku showed up they were over half way done. Sango gave Miroku the list and sent him on his way while Inuyasha started posting up the flyers he had finished last night. Kagome waved him away, telling him that they would take a break for lunch as soon as Miroku got back. Inuyasha told them not to eat without him, then left.

"Hey Kagome," Sango said after their friend was gone.

"Hmm?" Kagome mumbled, distracted as she put the tablecloths on the tables.

"Don't you ever get lonely?"

Kagome paused, then looked up at her friend. They were alone in the room, which is why she was able to answer truthfully. "Sure I do. All the time."

Sango put her hand on Kagome's shoulder. "Then why don't you ever date anyone?"

"Because all the guys I know are jerks," she answered simply.

"Even Inuyasha and Miroku?"

Kagome grinned. "Miroku can be a jerk, when he wants to be. And I have no romantic interest in Inuyasha. He's a great guy and all, but not for me. Besides, he has Kikyo."

"Is that why you're doing this auction thing?"

Kagome shook her head. "No, not really. I just think it's exciting."

"Honto?" Sango didn't look too sure. Kagome reassured her by squeezing her hand before they went back to work. Kagome watched her friend for a moment, wondering what had prompted the questions.

The truth was, Kagome was really lonely. She had wonderful friends and her parents adored her, but she felt alone sometimes. She didn't get down or depressed, but there were times when she would want someone to lean on and no one was around. And there was the fact that all of her close friends were in relationships. She felt like a 5th wheel and a burden, even though she would never tell her friends that. But, she was happy most of the time, so why bother bringing her friends down? She smiled and went back to work.

Miroku showed up minutes later and they stopped working for lunch. Inuyasha joined them as they spread out a blanket on the grass to have a picnic. All of them had brought their own lunches, except for Kagome, who shared with Sango. They talked about the different things they wanted to do at the festival.

"I'm entering that basketball contest to try to win that gift card!" Inuyasha declared.

"I'm going to help out in the fortune telling tent," Miroku said. "They need someone who's quiet to help the fortune teller, so they asked me. It should be fun."

"I'm cooking for our class's shop. What about you?" Sango asked Kagome, who shrugged.

"I haven't planned anything, but my dad is supposed to show up, so I'll probably spend the day with him. Are you guys going to the auction?"

Everyone nodded. "I'm not bidding for anything, but I want to go. I want to know who the mystery people are," Miroku said.

"I wish I could, but I can't stay that long. I need to go home to help my mom. She's not feeling too good," Inuyasha said.

"Oh no! What's wrong?" Kagome asked, deeply concerned.

"It's probably the flu or something," Inuyasha said, smiling reassuringly at her. "Don't worry about it. She just wants me to make dinner and stuff for her, so she can rest tonight. I told her I would be home early, so I'll only be able to be at the auction for a bit. I hope you win, Kagome."

Kagome smiled at him, but worry nagged her heart. She hoped that Izayoi would be okay.

Too soon it was time to get back to work. Feeling refreshed, the group worked hard on all of the things they were told to do. By the time they had to leave for dinner, everything was in place for the following day. All of them felt tired and overworked, but they were still full of energy. So they went off to dinner at a local restaurant called Kanna's Mirror. It was well known for the great food and friendly waiters, and a favorite hangout of all the high school kids.

Dinner was ordered soon enough, and they sat around talking while they waiting for their meals. Kagome poked fun at Inuyasha for spending the day with them rather than his girlfriend, and Miroku was a pervert, as usual. After a bit Kagome quieted down and leaned back to relax. She watched her friends with joy written on her face. She couldn't ask for more in her life; well, she could, but that would be selfish. At least to her it was.

Kagome opened her eyes as a very pretty waitress passed their table. She smiled at the young lady, who smiled back, before her eyes travelled to the man trailing behind her.

He was very tall. He had long silver hair, almost like Inuyasha's but lighter. It flowed behind him in waves and shined. He wore what looked like a robe; it was white with red hexagon patterns on it. His hands were hidden under the sleeves. He looked to be around twenty years old. As if he could sense her looking at him he turned, and Kagome sucked in her breath.

His face looked smooth, soft, and gorgeous. His mouth was small and set in a straight line. His nose was small as well, and turned up a bit at the end. He had high cheekbones, which made his face seem a bit longer than normal. Kagome noticed a violet mark on his forehead that looked like a crescent moon. Usually, something like that would be weird; on him, it looked like it belonged there. It was his eyes that drew her attention most. They were wide and pretty. But both his pupil and iris were complete white, like creamy milk. She looked into his eyes for a moment before he turned away. He passed the table, and Kagome swallowed.

Her heart was beating in her chest. She watched him sit down in a corner booth and take a menu from the waitress before she tore her eyes away. He was handsome beyond words. Kagome's tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth. She wondered who he was, and what was wrong with his eyes. She glanced back at him again, but he was hidden behind his menu. Luckily their dinner was served just then, and Kagome dug into her food. She tried hard to concentrate on her friends, but her eyes wandered over to the strange man over and over again.

Finally, having eaten their full, they got up to leave. Sango offered to pay the bill, and the other three waited in the entranceway while she paid it. Kagome looked back again and noticed the handsome man watching her. Her face flushed and she looked away, telling Miroku and Sango that she was going to wait for them outside. She walked out the door and down the steps to the sidewalk. She shivered and rubbed her arms; it was well past sundown and it was chilly outside.

Minutes passed by, and her friends didn't come out. She wondered briefly what was keeping them, but she wasn't worried about it. They probably stopped by the bathroom on their way out. When she heard the door open behind her, she turned to ask what took them so long, but her voice caught in her throat when she noticed that it was not her friends; it was the too handsome man. She closed her mouth and stepped back to let him pass. He walked past her and down the sidewalk. She watched him go.

"Is there a reason you're watching me?" a deep voice asked. Kagome almost jumped out of her skin before she realized that he had spoken to her. He had stopped and stood still in the middle of the sidewalk.

"Um.. I-I'm sorry," she stammered. "I didn't mean to, I swear. I'm not trying to be rude."

"Hmm," was all he said. After a moment he turned back and she again saw his white eyes. They didn't frighten or repel her; in fact, they fascinated her. "You say that, and you still watch me."

Kagome shook her head back and forth, as if trying to tell him that she didn't want to.

"Not going to say anything?" he asked, tilting his head slightly to the left. Again she shook her head, her words having escaped with the wind. "I'm afraid you'll have to speak up. It's not like I can see you or anything."

"Huh?" Kagome said, briefly confused.

"You didn't know I was blind?" he asked in a low voice. Kagome could hear a trace of surprise in his voice.

"No. I've never met a blind person before."

He stood still for a moment before turning around. "Well, now you have," he said, starting to walk away again. "Have a good night miss." He disappeared around the corner of the building and was gone.

Kagome stood completely still. He was blind? But he had looked right at her in the restaurant. Hadn't he?

"Kagome?"

Kagome jumped and turned around to see her friends behind her.

"Geez! Talk about a heart attack!" she exclaimed, putting a hand over her heart. "What kept you guys?"

"Inuyasha got stuck in the bathroom. When he locked his stall it jammed and he got trapped. I had to go in and help him get out," Miroku explained. Inuyasha's face was flushed with embarrassment as he waited for Kagome to laugh at him. To everyone's surprise, she merely nodded. Her friends looked at one another before they decided to head home.

Kagome parted with her friends about a block away from her house. She waved to them and assured them that she would see them tomorrow. As she walked down the sidewalk, she pictured the man from the restaurant. When he had talked to her, had he really been surprised that she didn't know that he was blind? Was that so hard to believe? She had to admit that even to her his eyes had been a surprise, but there was nothing wrong with them. At all. She thought they made him look mysterious, in a way. She sighed and tilted her head up to look at the star filled sky. She smiled to herself and wondered if she would ever see him again. She hoped so.

(Okay, all done! I really hope you like it. If you do, please leave me a review so that I know you want it to continue. If you want more info on the story, feel free to PM to chat.)


	2. The Festival

(Okay, here's the second chapter. I'm sorry it took so long to finish, but I had serious writer's block for awhile. I'll be starting the third one really soon, and since I have that one completely planned out it shouldn't take that long to finish it and get it uploaded on here. Read on!)

Voices filled the air and mixed with the incredible smells from all the food stands. Kagome and Inuyasha walked in front of several different booths. Since it was still early in the morning Kagome's dad hadn't shown up yet, and it wasn't time for the basketball contest yet. Sango and Miroku were already busy with their assigned duties and would be joining them later in the day.

"What do you want to do Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, noticing that his friend was strangely quiet.

Kagome shrugged, but she couldn't focus on him. She hadn't slept well at all, and what little rest she did get was disturbed by unidentified dreams. At odd moments she would picture the handsome man she had met the night before, and she could hear his voice in her ear as if he was standing next to her. She felt a bit drained, and she wasn't really interested in anything. She wanted to go home and go to bed, but she knew that she needed to be with her friends right now.

"Kagome, what's wrong with you?" Inuyasha asked, concern in his voice.

She turned and smiled at him, but her smile didn't reach her eyes. "I'm fine Inuyasha. I'm just a bit tired. Hey, how's your mom doing?"

Inuyasha's shoulders slumped a bit as he looked down at the ground. "She's okay. She's pretty tired and stuff, but I'm pretty sure she'll be just fine in a few days. I'm over reacting, I know, but I can't help it. She's my mom."

Kagome wrapped her arm around his shoulders reassuringly. She knew how he felt; she could feel old memories trying to push their way into her mind, but she pushed back. They were too painful to face now, when she needed to be here for Inuyasha. She offered to buy him some noodles, and he accepted, as she knew he would. She grinned at him as they walked into the school.

The time passes quickly as they ate, played games, chatted with friends, and had a good time. Pretty soon Kagome's father showed up. He was about Inuyasha's height with short brown hair and green eyes. He was what some people would call a nerd; he wore glasses and was very smart. He had a childish streak though; after hugging Kagome he gave Inuyasha a pat on the head, calling him a puppy. Inuyasha, used to this, only grumbled a bit before leaving them to walk around.

"Wow, you guys sure did an awesome job with this festival!" Kagome's dad exclaimed as she showed him the different classrooms. "And you decorated all these classrooms?"

Kagome blushed. "Most of them. Sango worked with me. We basically put down the basics and the different classes added in their own touches. It was a lot of fun; Sango has a great sense of style."

"As do you," the older man said, smiling at her. "So what all are we going to do today?"

Kagome took him to the coffee shop before they explored the few classrooms full of kids dressed up in costumes and acting out parts from different movies and shows. She laughed as they joined in, dancing along with a group of kids dressed as monkeys and shouting out dramatic lines with a prince and princess. After that, Kagome decided to take him to the fortune teller's tent to get his palm read.

As they entered the tent Kagome saw Miroku talking softly to a couple of girls. She never believed he would do something that would hurt Sango, but she couldn't help herself. She motioned for her dad to be quiet before creeping up behind him.

"Miroku! What are you doing?"

Miroku jumped and turned around so quickly that he lost his balance and fell. Everyone in the tent laughed, including the fortune teller, and Kagome helped Miroku to his feet. His face was flushed with embarrassment as he mock glared at her. But after a moment his face broke out into a smile.

"Sorry," she said, trying to contain her laughter. "I had to. I couldn't help it."

"Yea right. You know you just wanted to mess with me." Miroku rolled his eyes before he noticed Kagome's father watching them with amusement dancing in his eyes. The two men talked for a few minutes and Kagome smiled. She was so glad her friends got along well with her parents.

"You're next Kagome," Miroku said, startling her out of her thoughts. She started to protest but he just shooed her toward the fortune teller. Kagome shrugged and sat down in the chair. The fortune teller was a girl probably a year older than her with short blond hair and blue eyes, but the lower part of her face was hidden by a blue veil. Kagome smiled at her.

"It's nice to meet you Kagome," she said in a quiet voice. "What would you like me to do today? Read your palm or try to see your future?"

"Future."

The girl nodded and closed her eyes in concentration as her hands swirled over the small glass ball that was sitting on the table. Kagome watched her with interest; while she didn't really believe in fortune telling she did love the idea that it could be real.

"Hmm, I see something," the fortune teller said, and Kagome focused on her. "I see a man. He's tall, and silent. He's got a strong and silent personality, but I sense something else. He's burying secrets. He doesn't want people to get close to him. And there's sadness there too. But why, I don't know. He's pulling you to him without knowing it. He sees something in you. Something special."

Kagome held her breath, but the girl was unable to tell her more. She thanked the fortune teller and left the tent, telling her dad to go get his palm read. Miroku watched her for a moment; he knew how she felt about all the mystical stuff that he was into. He asked her what happened and she relayed everything to him. He looked at her with a serious expression on his face.

"Maybe this is your chance to find someone to love," he said, and Kagome flinched. She could always count on her quietest friend to know the most about her.

"Maybe," was all she said.

The rest of the afternoon passed by uneventfully. Inuyasha lost at the basketball contest and went home, grumbling about distractions in the crowd and what not. Sango and Miroku were eventually released from their different jobs and, as the sun set, the group headed over to the large building that was behind their high school. It was almost identical to their school, with the exception of the large gate that surrounded it. Kagome supposed it was to keep the students from accidently walking off the campus during the school day.

Everyone was ushered into the large auditorium that stood a few feet away from the main building. Kagome was becoming anxious; she knew that pretty soon the silent auction would start. Her friends supported her and told her that she would win, but she always got nervous when it came to competing with other people. She found a row of seats that were empty and they quickly claimed them all. Before the auction could start she knew that the principals for the two schools would be welcome everyone and explaining what they had planned for the rest of the night.

Sure enough, a few minutes later, two gentlemen walked out onto the stage. Kagome recognized her own principal, Mr. Jinenji. He was a very tall and muscular man with a long face. He was bald and was teased endlessly for it. He didn't really care. He was a kind and open person who cared about all of his students, and Kagome liked him a lot. She smiled at him as his eyes swept over her, and he grinned back. He and the other person, a shorter man with short white hair, moved to the center of the stage and waited for the noise to die down.

"Welcome everyone!" Mr. Jinenji called out once the room was quiet. "I hope you've all had a great day so far! Now we've come to our main event. We will now auction off an evening out with two of our very own students! Now, what we'll do is pass around a few baskets. Anyone who wishes to participate needs to take a piece of paper and write down their name and the amount they are bidding. Once we get the baskets back we will go through them and announce the highest bid, then pass out the baskets again. If you want to raise your bid, simply write your new offer down and put it in the basket. We'll keep doing this until we get a winning bid. Ready? Here we go!"

Kagome pulled out her small notebook and opened. She thought for a moment before she wrote down the info. She took it out of the notebook and folded it in half. When the basket went by she dropped it in and sat back.

"How much did you bid Kagome?" Sango asked her.

"Two thousand yen. I figured that was a good amount to start out with."

"Oh I hope you win! Who do you think it'll be?"

Kagome giggled. "I have no clue. Watch it be someone we know, like Koga or something." She made a face, which caused her friends to burst out laughing.

"What if it's Inuyasha?" Kagome's dad asked from behind her. She turned to him and gave him a look that told him she didn't think so. "Hey, I'm just saying!"

"You never know Kagome," Miroku said, shrugging. "He could have been voted for it. You know that they chose the people by the votes the classes did, and once they were chosen they had to do it. It could be that Inuyasha got chosen and didn't want to tell us, like he was embarrassed or something."

"Possibly. But I don't think he would lie to me about his mom. He seemed really worried about her."

Sango opened her mouth to answer, but the principals called for everyone's attention. "Okay, we've gotten the baskets back and looked through all the bids. And we have the highest for each one! For the young lady, the highest bid is twenty five hundred yen. For the gentleman, we're currently at three thousand yen! We'll be sending the baskets around again, so make sure you get in your new bids!"

Kagome once again wrote down a bid and stuck it in the basket. Her friends started talking again, but she was getting nervous again. She only had so much money she could offer, and she really wanted to win. She wasn't sure why; she told herself her loneliness was pushing her forward. But could she be so sure? She watched as the baskets were collected and taken back onto the stage. After a few minutes she saw both men turn around again, and quiet immediately descended on them.

"Okay, we got fewer bids this time! For the lady we have thirty two hundred yen, and for the gentleman, we have forty four hundred yen! We're passing the baskets around again. Good luck everyone!"

Kagome simply set back and watched while the basket passed by. She didn't want to place another bid; she simply wanted it to be over so she could see who the people were. Her foot tapped impatiently on the ground.

"Relax Kagome," Sango said, grinning at her. "You know you got it."

"I know. I'm just anxious."

"Don't worry, daughter," her father said, leaning close to her. "You still have to let your mom and I meet him before you get to go out."

Kagome shot him a glare that didn't seem to bother him in the least. He put on an innocent mask as he sat back. Kagome grinned at him before she turned back to the stage.

"Settle down! Okay, it looks like we have a winning bid for the young man! After we announce the winner we'll keeping going with the young lady! Now, it looks like the winner of an evening out with a wonderful young man is…"

Kagome crossed her fingers and held her breath. Sango and Miroku were still next to her, silently hoping that their friend would win. The second dragged out with suspense until Kagome felt like screaming at them to just say who won.

"Higurashi Kagome!!"

Kagome jumped up and yelled in joy as the air exploded with applause. Sango and Miroku cheered the loudest as Kagome quickly made her way to the stage. She turned and bowed to everyone, which caused them to laugh. She turned to Mr. Jinenji, who smiled at her, and she grinned widely.

"Well done Kagome. You ready to meet your date?" Kagome nodded. "Good, cause here he is. Say hello to Sesshomaru!"

Kagome smiled before she even turned. Her heart hammered in her chest with excitement, but as her eyes fell on the figure walking toward her, she stopped breathing. She stared into the same creamy white eyes of the man who filled her mind. She watched as his long and confident stride quickly ate up the stage until he was standing next to her. He smiled at her, but she thought it looked false.

"A pleasure to meet you Kagome," he said quietly. "But, this is not our first time meeting, is it?"

Kagome couldn't answer; the words wouldn't pass her lips. Sesshomaru offered his arm and she slipped her hand through it, almost out of habit. He placed his hand on top of hers and guided her off of the stage. While they were walking Kagome couldn't help but look him over again. His expression was blank, but his features were strong and sure. Kagome admired his ability to maneuver off of the stage. They exited a side door and stood in the night air.

Silence surrounded them for a few minutes before Kagome found her voice again. "How did you know we've met before?" she asked quietly.

Sesshomaru wasn't facing her, and he didn't turn around. "I recognized your perfume."

"Oh." Kagome watched him for a moment. "So your name is Sesshomaru? That's an unusual name. It's nice though."

Although he didn't move, Kagome could sense that he tensed. He turned slowly to face her and a cold smile formed on his lips. "It means killing perfection," he said, his voice devoid of all emotion.

Kagome took a step back. He was angry. At her? But why? "What's wrong?"

"Nothing that you need to concern yourself with."

Kagome didn't like being told what was her business. "Bullshit! I have a date with you. Tell me. I don't want to worry about pissing you off every couple of seconds."

Sesshomaru chuckled under his breath. "And who said we would actually go out?"

Kagome blinked. "But, the auction…"

"Just because I got dragged into it doesn't mean that I have to go out with you."

Kagome was getting angry. "Did I do something wrong? Are you pissed off at me?"

Sesshomaru didn't answer. He started to walk away, but Kagome followed him. He was getting annoyed; he didn't want to be in the stupid thing anyway, and now this girl was bothering him. He wondered how he would get rid of her. He didn't want to date her; he didn't want to date anyone. Not after dealing with his parents. And Kagura. "Leave me alone," he said over his shoulder, and heard her footsteps stop.

"No."

The tone of her voice caused him to stop. She sounded offended, angry, and… hurt? He was used to making people angry and having to deal with their anger, but he couldn't remember ever having hurt someone before. It bothered him and touched him inside in a way that made him cringe.

"What do you want?" he sighed, resigning to her.

Kagome walked over to him. He looked like something was bothering him, but she wasn't going to ask him. He would need to tell her if he wanted help with something. "I simply want to spend time with you," she said softly, and she realized it was true. "Is there something so wrong with that? Do you not like me? Cause if you don't, I'll leave you alone. Just tell me."

Sesshomaru considered telling her the truth, but memories flooded his brain, and anger filled his heart again. "No, I don't like you. Please leave."

Kagome nodded once. She didn't know what she had done, but for some reason, she didn't want to bother him. She placed her hand on his shoulder for a moment before she turned and walked away. He listened as her footsteps faded. He couldn't smell her perfume anymore, which told him that she was gone. He could feel warmth on his shoulder where she had touched him, but shrugged it off. He shook his head and left the parking lot.

It didn't take him long to get home. He rented an apartment about a block away from his campus, so he could get back and forth easily. He unlocked his door and walked inside, shutting it behind him. Although he couldn't see anything, he could feel where everything was. He put his hand on the wall and walked into the kitchen. He opened the fridge and took out a boxed meal. He ran his fingers over the bumps on the package before he opened the box and pulled out the meal. He felt his way to the microwave and set it inside, then closed the door and set the time.

Sesshomaru's apartment had been designed for him by his mother. He knew where everything was, down to the last fork in the drawer, which was a good thing, since he had lived alone for almost four years now. He loved the solitude of his own place; no one was waiting for him when he came home, but no one asked him where he was and what he had been doing.

His mind drifted back to the young girl he had encountered twice. She had sounded so hurt when he had turned her away, but it didn't matter. It shouldn't bother him. But it did. Why though? Why her?

The beeping of the microwave interrupted his thoughts. He walked back into the kitchen and pulled out his meal. While preparing it, his temper slowly rose. But he was angry at himself, not the girl named Kagome. For so long he had been able to show that he didn't care. His past wasn't pretty; he knew that if people knew about his childhood they would fear him, or worse, pity him. He wanted nothing to do with people like that.

He took his meal and sat down on his bed, a fork in his hand. Although he tried for most of the evening, he couldn't stop his mind from wandering. And it annoyed him.

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Kagome sighed and copied down the notes on the board. School was very boring. She was already short tempered because of the festival. She had considered skipping school, but she knew that she needed to come to see her friends. If she didn't show up for school, they refused to come over to her house. But it was aggravating to listen to the teachers talk on and on all day long.

Kagome thought about the tall man named Sesshomaru. She wondered what she had done to make him mad. He didn't like her, but why? What had she done? She put her arms on her desk and rested her head on them. She shouldn't care; he had made it clear he wanted nothing to do with her. She couldn't stop the images of him that invaded her mind.

The bell rang, bringing Kagome's mind back to the present. She stood up and packed up her books, waving at Sango as her friend made her way to Kagome's desk.

"Man, you look half dead. Did you not sleep last night?"

Kagome grinned at her. "Thanks Sango," she said, rolling her eyes. "No, I slept just fine. I just really didn't want to come to school today."

"Why not? Still bummed about the auction thing?" Sango asked as they left the classroom.

"Kinda, but not really. I just wanted to stay in bed today, that's all."

Sango nodded as they approached their lockers. Kagome looked around as she put up her bag. "Hey, where's Inuyasha?"

Sango looked surprised; Kagome usually knew where her friend was before anyone else did. "He said he was staying home today. His mom is still not feeling well. Are you going to go visit them?"

Kagome nodded, concern evident on her face. She slammed her locker. "You gonna walk home with me?"

"Sure," Sango said. "Miroku has a lot of homework tonight, so I'm free."

Kagome smiled at her friend and they left the building. They didn't get very far before they heard a loud commotion. They soon encountered a large group of people standing a circle. They looked at each other questioningly before they approached the group. Kagome pushed her way through and gasped at what she saw.

Sesshomaru was surrounded by three guys who looked really angry. He looked calm, like he wasn't bothered by them. Kagome shoved her way through the crowd as one of the boys spoke up.

"What in the hell are you doing here?" Sesshomaru didn't answer him. "Answer me you freak!" Again, there was silence. Of course, not used to being ignored, the angry boy started to attack him.

Sesshomaru could sense his attacks; he had learned to fight a long time ago. He merely dodged and weaved around the kid, making sure none of his attacks landed, and he looked bored. After a few minutes the attacks stopped, and they both stood still.

"Grab him!" said the angry kid, and Kagome recognized him as a senior named Hoshiyomi. He was known as a bully who disliked anyone that came onto school rounds without his permission. The other two boys were often seen with him, but she didn't know their names.

"Hoshiyomi!"

Everything stopped as Kagome finally immerged from the crowd. Hoshiyomi turned to face her and smiled; it was a well known fact that he liked her. Kagome, however, hated bullies, and she made a point of staying away from him. "Let him alone!" she shouted at him now.

"Why? Who is he to you?"

Kagome walked over and stood next to Sesshomaru, who was facing her. She knew he couldn't see her, but if he hadn't told her he was blind, she would have believed he was looking into her eyes. She smiled and placed her hand on his arm before turning back to face the three men who had stood silent until now.

"Why does it matter? You know that Mr. Jinenji doesn't allow bullying, especially to people who come to the school to visit."

"He doesn't belong here!" Hoshiyomi yelled, pointing at the tall man beside Kagome. "He should go back to his school! He has no reason to be here!"

"Oh?" Sesshomaru spoke for the first time, and all eyes flew to him. He slowly snaked his arm around Kagome's waist and pulled her into a tight embrace. Kagome's face flushed but she continued staring at the senior. "A guy can't come and see his girlfriend? And I thought this was such an advanced school." He smiled coldly at the dumbfounded crowd.

Everyone stared at them with shocked expressions. Even Sango was surprised. Hoshiyomi looked like he was going to have a heart attack. "You and him? But how…? When…?"

Kagome smirked and moved closer to Sesshomaru. "What's the matter? Don't believe in love at first site? We met at the festival."

Although Kagome had said it as part of the plan, both she and Sesshomaru felt a shock go through them, and they looked at each other. Kagome felt like her body was tingling with excitement. The moment was broken, however, by someone shouting in the crowd.

"Alright, you heard them!" Kagome giggled as Sango swept through the group of people. "They're a couple, now get lost! Stop gawking! Come on, get moving!" Sango continued to shoo them away until everyone was gone. She grinned at them, her hands on her hips. "And when exactly did this happen?" she asked sweetly.

Kagome suddenly remembered their position and swiftly moved away from Sesshomaru. Her face was flushed, but he merely looked bored once again. She was about to answer Sango when it dawned on her that she had no idea why Sesshomaru had shown up. She turned to him, but he beat her to it.

"When and where?" he asked simply. Kagome blinked in confusion. When she didn't answer, Sesshomaru sighed and rubbed his forehead. "When do you want to go out, and where?"

"Oh!" Kagome said. "I thought you didn't want to go out with me though."

"I changed my mind."

Kagome tilted her head to the side as she watched him. "Listen Sesshomaru," she said softly, moving to stand next to him. "I don't want you to go out with me because you feel bothered by me, or guilty, or anything like that. If you don't want to go out with me, simply tell me that and I won't ask anything more. I don't want to spend an evening with you, feeling like I made you do something against your will."

Sesshomaru was amazed that she had seen through him. She was something special alright. But did he really trust her? For that matter, did he want to? As the scent of her perfume filled his senses he reached out and touched her cheek. In his mind, he could almost see her smiling face. "No," he said. "I want to go out with you."

Kagome felt happiness expand inside her. "Okay," she said with joy. "How about we go out tomorrow night? We can go to dinner at Kanna's Mirror, then maybe do something else? Any ideas?"

"What about going for a walk in the park?" Sesshomaru said.

"Sounds great. But you will have to meet my parents. Are you okay with that?" Sesshomaru nodded. "Okay, then come by to pick me up around six or so. Does that work?" Again he nodded, and Kagome smiled again. "Then I will see you then. Thanks for giving me a second chance." Kagome turned and walked away, leaving him staring after her. Sesshomaru sighed inwardly; what was he doing? And why was she so different? So special? Maybe he would have a chance to find out soon enough. A small smile played on his lips as he headed home. He had plans to make.

(Okay, all done! The next chapter will be their date, and a bit of their pasts will come out into the open. Not a lot, but enough to give you a good idea of who they are. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Leave me a review!)


	3. The Date

(Okay, here's chapter three, and it's – da da DA – the date! XD I hope you enjoy it. It was a lot of fun to write. I'm sorry it took so long to get it uploaded. I was waiting to get it critiqued by my friend, but she got busy, so I'm uploading it without her. Sorry m'dear!!!! xD)

Kagome stood in front of the full length mirror, admiring her outfit. She didn't want to overdress, but she wanted to look nice. So she had on a pair of long black slacks made of thin polyester. She loved these pants; they were tight on her, but comfortable, and they moved with her body. Her short was light blue, made of silk, and was a bit low cut in the front. It showed off some of her assets, but not enough to make her uncomfortable. She had put on her favorite pair of dress shoes; they were her favorite because they didn't have heels and they didn't hurt her feet.

"Are you going to put your hair up or leave it down?" Kagome's mother asked from behind her. The young girl turned and smiled at her mom. They were in her parent's room, trying on clothes and talking.

"I'm going to leave it down. If I put it up then I'll feel too flashy. No big deal. I like it down. Can you hand me my makeup case?"

"You're not going to cover yourself in face paint, are you?" Kagome's dad asked, walking into the room. She stuck her tongue out at him before she started applying blush to her cheeks. She was not a big person for makeup, but wearing it every once in awhile was nice.

"Come on Kagome," the elder woman said. "Tell us more about this guy Sesshomaru."

"What else do you want me to say? He's good looking, has a nice voice, and is strong and confident. He looks like he's really smart, but I don't know him that well yet. He defiantly doesn't act like he's blind, that's for sure. I know he can't see me, but sometimes, when he turns toward me, I get the feeling he's looking at me closer then anyone else I've ever known."

"Sounds like someone's falling in love," Kagome father teased her, causing her face to flush. She didn't deny it, however; she was beginning to wonder if it was possible for her to fall in love with someone this quickly. He certainly was on her mind enough, and she felt her heart clench when she thought of him.

The doorbell rang, causing Kagome to jump. She scowled when her father laughed at her smeared lip gloss. "Just get me some tissue, will you?" she grumbled. The elder woman smiled at her and headed downstairs to let in her daughter's date. She opened the door and found a very tall and, much to her surprise, very handsome man. She started to beckon him in before she remembered that he couldn't see.

"Come in," she said softly, standing back to give him room. As he passed by her, she could feel strength emanating off of him. It didn't scare her; if anything it made her feel like Kagome would be safe with him. "How are you doing this evening?"

He turned to face her, and she knew exactly what Kagome was talking about; if she didn't know he was blind, she would have thought nothing of his white eyes. "I'm doing well ma'am. And you?"

"Doing fine. And please call me Yumi. I hear you two have some great plans tonight. Oh, won't you have a seat. I'm sure she'll be down in just a moment."

"Thank you," Sesshomaru said as he sat down on the long couch. "I have some basic plans for tonight, but nothing special. I almost changed my mind and cancelled the date again, but I figured it would be unfair. So, here I am."

"Again? Did you cancel it once before?"

"Yes, I did. Didn't Kagome tell you?"

Kagome's mother sighed inwardly. Kagome shared so little with them these days. "No, she kept it to herself. I will tell you, though, that she is glad that you decided to go out again. I haven't seen her this excited in awhile."

"I must agree with my wife," Kagome's father said, entering the room. "She'll be down in a moment. She just wants to make sure she looks perfect, which she does, of course. It's nice to meet you, Sesshomaru. My name is Hitoshi. I'm Kagome's father." He walked over to Sesshomaru and extended his hand. Sesshomaru took it and shook it firmly.

"A pleasure to meet you as well. I must tell you, your daughter is very hard headed when it comes to something she wants. Has she always been this stubborn?"

"For as long as we've known her," Hitoshi said, laughing loudly. Sesshomaru's eyebrow shot up, but he didn't say anything. At that moment, Kagome walked into the room and smiled.

"I hope my parents haven't been boring you," she said, moving to stand next to the couch.

"No, we've just been talking. Are you ready to go?" he asked, standing.

"Sure am. I'll be home late tonight, so don't bother waiting up for me. I'll tell you everything tomorrow," Kagome said, making a face, which caused her parents to laugh. She waved farewell to them and they left the house. They made it to the sidewalk before Sesshomaru stopped. "Sesshomaru? What's wrong?" she asked, confused.

"You know, listening to your parents talk, you must be the most beautiful girl on the planet. And yet, I have no idea what you look like. I am curious," he said simply.

Kagome smiled. "Then allow me," she said softly. She took his hand in hers and placed it on her cheek. She felt strength and warmth in his touch and watched him with excited eyes.

After a moment, Sesshomaru slowly ran his fingers down her cheek and to her chin. He could feel how soft her skin was, and she seemed almost fragile. He gently moved his fingers up, feeling the smile the played on her lips before he passed her small nose and large eyes. He splayed his fingers across her forehead before moving them into her hair. He sucked in his breath; he could picture her in his mind, and she was breathtakingly gorgeous.

"Do I pass inspection?" Kagome asked, giggling. Sesshomaru dropped his hand and nodded once to her. He offered her his arm and she took it gladly. Once again, they started walking down the sidewalk.

A few moments of silence passed. "Where are we going?" Kagome asked him, her voice sounding loud in the air.

"Where do you want to go for dinner? Some place fancy?"

"Oh good heavens, no!" Kagome squealed, squeezing his arm tightly. "I hate fancy places. You have to get all dressed up, then you only get like three bites of food. Would you mind if we went to Kanna's Mirror? They have great food and a pretty relaxed atmosphere. If not it's okay, we can go somewhere else."

Sesshomaru again marveled at the fact that she had seen through his set expression and sensed him tensing. He really didn't like that place; it reminded him of his past. But, if Kagome wanted to go, he would go. He would put up with it for one night to get what he wanted. And what he wanted most was to know about this strange girl. "We can go, if you like. Afterwards we'll go for a walk in the park. Does that work for you?"

"Yea!" Kagome said happily. They walked the rest of the way in a comfortable silence, both lost in their thoughts of each other. When they got to the restaurant they were placed in a back booth and left alone to figure out their orders. Kagome quickly chose what she wanted and set her menu aside. Sesshomaru hadn't opened his, and it took her a moment to realize that he couldn't see it. This of course made her smile as she remembered the first night she had seen him.

"Is something funny?" Sesshomaru asked, making Kagome jump.

"How in the hell do you DO that?" she asked him, placing a hand over her beating heart.

A ghost of a smile passed through his features before he was able to hide it. "Call it instinct."

"Oh." Kagome wanted to ask more, but she knew that she shouldn't be pushy. "Actually I was thinking of the first night a saw you. You stood out to me, and I couldn't help but glance over at you every once in awhile. I noticed that you were reading the menu at one point, and it just occurred to me that you can't see it."

"I knew you were watching me."

"You did? Were you hiding from me?"

Sesshomaru blinked. "No, of course not. I don't hide from people. I was merely trying to get you to divert your attention elsewhere."

"Ah," Kagome said, but she wasn't fooled. He had been hiding, but why? Was it from her, or someone else? Before she could ask him she saw a waitress approach the table. She was mildly pretty, in Kagome's opinion. She had black hair that was pulled into a bun in the back. Her eyes were a crimson red color, and they were hooded by the shadows from her bangs. Her mouth was set in a straight line, but Kagome got the feeling she was either bored or angry. She wore a simple kimono that was light purple with slashes of violet here and there. She had on earrings that were long and looked like small green balls hooked together. In her hair she wore feather burettes. Kagome never thought anyone was ugly, but there seemed to be something about this girl that made her feel uneasy.

"What can I get for you?" she asked, her eyes on the pad of paper in her hand. She sounded like she was hopelessly bored. She took Kagome's order and waited for Sesshomaru's. When he said nothing she looked up from her pad of paper. Her eyes narrowed when they landed on the tall man at Kagome's side. "Sesshomaru."

Kagome felt him stiffen next to her, and the atmosphere crackled with an uneasy tension. She looked at him, but his face was blank as he answered her. "Kagura. I see they finally got you working here."

"Yea, they said I had to, or I would lose my monthly allowance. Why are you here? I thought you told me you didn't want to come back here anymore."

"I brought a friend out for the night, if tat's okay with you."

Kagura turned to face Kagome and smirked. "So this is the type of girl you're after now, huh? At least I can agree with you now that your taste is lousy. What do you want to eat?" Sesshomaru gave her his order and she left, still smirking at Kagome.

"Gomen," Kagome said, watching her leave.

"For what?

"If you had told me you didn't like this place, I could have suggested somewhere else. I didn't mean to drag up bad memories for you or anything."

Sesshomaru sighed and rubbed his forehead with his fingers. "It's okay. No big deal."

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Kagome spoke again. "Who is she?" When Sesshomaru turned to face her she shook her head. "No, never mind. I keep telling myself that I don't want to pry into your background, and that you'll tell me stuff when you want to. Or if you want to."

Sesshomaru felt a moment of true friendship, which was something he hadn't felt in years. "Kagura and I used to date, about a year ago. We met at a martial arts tournament. She was participating, and I went to talk to one of the teachers. They wanted me to teach a class, but I refused. I ran into her while I was leaving. She started talking to me. She annoyed me, at first. She would never shut up. But after awhile, I got used to her talking. I started to enjoy it. I hadn't had anyone to talk to in a long time. It was a nice change."

"So what happened?" Kagome asked.

"She cheated on me," Sesshomaru said flatly. "She was dating this other guy named Naraku, and I found out they were sleeping together. I told her we would not see each other anymore. I think what really upset her was that I didn't act like I was mad. I was really pissed off, but I acted indifferent. I learned a long time ago that indifference bothers people more than anything else. She swore at me, called me all kinds of names, but eventually she left me alone."

"That's terrible-" Kagome started to say, but Sesshomaru held up a hand to stop her.

"I don't want pity or sympathy. It was a long time ago, and I learned my lesson."

"Is that why you didn't want to go out with me?" Kagome asked quietly. He might not want sympathy, but he sure had it. Kagome had never been cheated on, so she couldn't imagine how it felt, but she hated when people she knew got hurt.

Sesshomaru nodded once, and Kagome took his hand in hers. She squeezed it once reassuringly. He looked surprised, but his mask slid back into place soon enough. Now it was his turn to ask some questions. "Kagome, you're certainly different from your parents. Why is that?"

Kagome's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?"

"You're simply different. You have this upbeat and happy demeanor. Both your parents are happy, but they seem more run down and they bend easier. I could be wrong, of course. It's always possible."

Kagome sighed and rested her head on the table. "No, you're right. I never told anyone. I don't want people to pity me, or tell me that I'm lucky. I got tired of that at my last school."

"I assure you that you'll get no pity from me."

"Oh ha ha," Kagome said, sticking her tongue out. "Very funny. Not that I expected it or anything." Kagome paused for a moment, then pushed the words out of her mouth. "Yumi and Hitoshi are my adopted parents."

"I suspected that. But why haven't any of your other friends noticed anything?"

Kagome shrugged. "I guess it's because they rarely see them. They both work a lot, and I usually go to my friend's houses instead of them coming over to mine. It's okay though. They take good care of me. I can tell they care a lot about me, and that makes me feel special."

"But they let you walk all over them."

"That's true enough. I know I shouldn't, but I did it a lot when I was younger, so these days it's like a habit, I guess."

They stopped talking for a moment when their meals were delivered, thankfully not by Kagura. "How long have you been with them?" Sesshomaru asked, taking a few bites of his food.

"Since I was eleven. They came to the foster home where I was and picked me up. They're really good people Sesshomaru. I love them a lot."

"Have you ever tried to look up your real parents?"

Kagome tensed. "No. I don't want to."

Sesshomaru could feel the change in her posture and let the subject drop. He asked her about her hobbies and interests, and soon they were talking like old friends. Kagome told him all about her interest in animals and how she wanted to be a teacher some day. She even told him that she loved feathers so much that she decorated her room with them. Sesshomaru, in return, told her about his apartment and school. He told her about how he wasn't well liked because of his calm attitude and fighting skills, and that he had been voted for the festival as a joke.

They finished their meal quickly. Sesshomaru offered to pay, and Kagome only agreed when he reminded her that she had paid for a night out on the town. They left the restaurant and stood outside in the cool air. The sky was filled with twinkling stars. Kagome once again took Sesshomaru's hand and they turned to leave. They heard the door open and close behind them, but they didn't pay it any mind.

"Leaving so soon?"

Kagome turned to see Kagura standing behind them, her arms crossed over her chest. She looked pissed. "We have plans," Kagome said stiffly.

"I wasn't talking to you," Kagura spat at her. She walked up to them and hooked her arms around Sesshomaru's left arm. "Hey Sesshy, let's go some where together. We can catch up on old times."

"I would prefer not to," Sesshomaru said calmly.

"Aww, why not? You know you miss me."

Sesshomaru wrenched his arm from her grasp. "I don't miss you. You miss me. It's not the same thing. I don't want to deal with you anymore."

"So what, you're going to start going out with a goody two shoes now? What is it about her you like? Is she an easy fuck?"

Kagome stiffened with anger, but she wasn't anywhere near as quick as Sesshomaru. He turned around and grabbed Kagura by the neck. She grabbed his arm and fought him, but she was no match for his strength. Kagome saw true anger on his face, and it struck her deep in her stomach. He was angry because Kagura had said it about her, wasn't he?

"If I ever hear you say something like that, I will personally snap your neck in two," Sesshomaru growled at her. Kagura looked at him with fear in her eyes. Kagome moved closer and touched his arm. He immediately calmed down and let the waitress go. She fell to the ground, coughing and taking deep breaths.

"Come on," Kagome said softly. "I still want to walk in the park with you." Sesshomaru nodded and they left. Kagura glared after them, her mind already forming her plan of revenge.

They walked in silence. Kagome felt no real fear, but she was worried. When he was angry, he looked almost like a demon. She almost expected his eyes to glow red with hate and anger. Is that why he remained calm all the time? To hide his anger? She could understand why, but it made her feel both sad. He shouldn't have to hide parts of himself from people.

"Gomen," Sesshomaru said abruptly. "I shouldn't have lost my temper. I apologize."

"That's okay," Kagome said. "I don't mind."

"But I could have really hurt her. That doesn't bother you?"

"Of course it does Sesshomaru. But I know you wouldn't have hurt her."

"How?" Sesshomaru asked her softly, and she could feel a wave of pain emanate from him. "How do you know? I could have done it and not cared."

"I don't believe you're a monster," Kagome said simply.

Her words went straight to Sesshomaru's heart. He had heard so many people call him names over the years that he had almost started to believe them; demon, monster, devil. People he had known for years turned their backs on him after he'd shown his anger, yet this one girl had seen it and not flinched. And only after knowing him for a couple of days. She really didn't think he was a monster?

They arrived at the park moments later. The air was still, only broken occasionally by the sound of their footsteps or the chirping of the crickets in the grass. Kagome held Sesshomaru's hand tightly as they walked. She felt something welling up inside her chest, but she didn't know what it was. To get her mind off of it, she asked Sesshomaru about his life. "How did you lose your sight?"

"I was born blind."

"Oh. Is it hard, not being able to see?"

"Not for me. I know some of the kids at the school say it's hard, but they had their sight at one point. I never had anything worth seeing, and I was content. I was different from other people, and I often got things for free just because I couldn't see, but I never liked it. I always wanted to do things for myself. That's why I live alone. My apartment is paid for by the school until I can get a stable job that I can handle. Once I do, I'll be looking for a new place to move to."

"You live alone? I envy you. I wish I could live by myself, at least for awhile. To be able to do things exactly how I want it; that would be a blast."

"You think so?" Kagome heard the sadness in his voice. "It is nice to do things your way, with no one bothering you, but you get lonely sometimes. No one is there waiting for you at the end of the day. No one makes you dinner, or helps you with chores, or listens to you talk about your day. Your stories can only be shared with yourself. I would like to live with someone else again. I'm not the best roommate; I'm a neat freak and I have to have everything in a certain spot because of my blindness. But I'd like to at least try."

"Why don't you go live with your parents?" Kagome asked. She felt like she was sharing some of his loneliness with him.

"My dad's not around and my mom has her own life to lead without me. She did arrange my apartment for me, for which I am grateful, but she left soon after that."

"Do you have any other family members?"

Sesshomaru thought for a moment. "I have a brother, but we don't get along well. Besides, he's too young to live on his own." He put his arm around Kagome's shoulder and pulled her close. "Don't worry; I'll be alright on my own. I've been alone for a long time."

"But that's just it," Kagome said softly, looking at the ground. "You shouldn't have to be alone. Everyone needs a friend every now and then Sesshomaru. Even someone as strong as you. I don't know what I would do without my friends. Sango is like the sister I never had. Miroku can be a pervert, but he's a really good listener and I know I can depend on him. And Inuyasha is my closest friend. He makes me laugh when I'm down and never lets me feel alone. I spend so much time at his house, sometimes I feel like I should just move in."

Sesshomaru didn't say anything for a moment. "Will you be my friend?"

Kagome stopped walking and looked up at him. His face was impassive, but she could see the worry on his features. She looked into his milky white eyes and noticed something she had never seen before; there was a ring of gold surrounding his iris. It made his eyes glow when the moonlight hit them. She smiled.

"I'll be anything you need me to be."

Again her words hit him deep. She was truly a wonder to him. He reached out with his hand and caressed her cheek. He felt a gentle warmth in her that seemed to surround and smother him, pulling him closer to her. He slowly knelt down and placed a kiss on her forehead before pulling back a few inches.

"Sesshomaru," she whispered before she pulled him down. Their lips connected and lingered together for a moment, as if they were hesitating. Neither one seemed to want to make a move. Sesshomaru gently applied pressure to her lips and was rewarded when she responded with a soft and burning passion. He felt as if he was on fire; the blood rushed through his veins like hot lava, igniting every fiber in his body. He wanted so much from her, but didn't know how to ask.

Kagome felt like she was melting. He tasted of honey and cinnamon, and she was becoming addicted to his sweet taste. She wanted more; she needed to have more from him. A voice of reason in the back of her mind stopped her; what would he think of her if she was to throw herself at him on their first date? Slowly she pulled back from him. Her knees were weak and she had to lean on him for support.

"Wow," she said. She looked up in time to see a true smile spread across Sesshomaru's lips. It transformed his face; what was once cold and impassive was gentle and childlike. It was such a change, and yet, Kagome felt that his face was what he was truly supposed to look like.

"Likewise," Sesshomaru said. Something in him had disappeared while they were kissing; but what was it? He didn't know, but he felt better than he had in years. He didn't feel alone anymore, but it wasn't just that. There was something else. He would have to figure out what it was. He put his arm around Kagome's shoulders. "Come on, young lady," he said playfully. "It's about time I got you home."

Kagome giggled and wrapped her arm around his waist in return. They walked out of the park in that embrace, both very happy. Kagome felt her heart fluttering and remembered what her dad had said about love. Was it true? Was she falling in love with this man? Or had she already fallen? She wanted to know. She had to know.

All too soon they were at Kagome's house, and they broke their embrace. "Should I come in and say goodnight to your parents?" Sesshomaru asked, noticing the light in the windows.

"It's okay. They're probably getting ready for bed. They'll want to know all about our date tomorrow though. I'm pretty sure you'll get invited over sometime soon. Well, I better get in there. I got class tomorrow." She turned to go, but was stopped when Sesshomaru grabbed her wrist lightly. She looked back at him, her face flushed.

"Do you want to go out again?" Sesshomaru asked in a low voice, almost as if he were afraid she would reject him.

Kagome smiled and walked back to where he stood. "I would love to," she whispered to him. He smiled at her and pulled her close for a hug. She wrapped her arms around his waist, savoring his scent; he smelled of trees in summer. They would have stayed like that for a long time, if the door hadn't opened. They quickly parted as they heard voices drifting out into the night sky.

"I thought she would be home by now. Are you sure you don't want to wait a bit longer?"

A shadow appeared in the doorway; it was a boy with long hair. "Naw, it's alright. I'll talk to her tomorrow in school. Thanks for letting me wait though. I appreciate it. You have a good night now!"

Kagome watched as Inuyasha walked closer to them. His eyes were closed as he walked, probably because he was tired. She stepped forward. "Were you looking for me, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha jumped and opened his eyes, spotting Kagome in front of him. "Geez, don't do that! You damn near gave me a heart attack! Man, where were you all night? I been looking for you!"

"I had a date," Kagome said. "What do you need?"

"A date? With who?" Inuyasha asked. He looked around and spotted Sesshomaru standing a few feet away. His eyes widened and his mouth twisted into a snarl. "You! What the hell are you doing here!"

Kagome put up her hands. "Whoa! Wait a second! You know my date?"

"Your date? You mean you went out with this jackass!"

"Inuyasha! Watch your mouth, and be nice!" Kagome scolded.

Sesshomaru moved next to Kagome and drooped his arm over her shoulders lazily. "Still have a bad mouth I see," he said, almost distastefully. Inuyasha growled low in his throat. "Manners manners!"

Kagome looked confused. "Sesshomaru, what's going on?" she asked, feeling very confused.

Sesshomaru tightened his grip on her shoulders to let her know it was okay, but he never turned away from Inuyasha. "I'm surprised," he said in a low and dangerous voice. "You would think that you would have mentioned me to your best friend at least once, little brother."

(All finished! It took me 5 hours to write this one exactly how I wanted it, and I wrote non stop! I hope you enjoyed it. If I made Sesshomaru too OOC let me know. I'm trying to make him a bit nicer, but still cold with people. Feel free to ask me any questions you have. Just so everyone knows, no they are not demons. There are no demons in this story. Okay? Leave me a review please!!)


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